Shattered

Chapter Nineteen

Okay so don't worry, this is an update. Longest one yet, too. Thanks to everyone for bearing with me and thank you all for over 600 reads. This is truly so amazing like I can't even. So please enjoy this chapter! It was long awaited.

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Just as the sun had set the previous morning, it rose yet again. Perhaps more brilliant then before, Jason thought. Piper was still fast asleep behind him, but he stood at the window, watching dawn take it's rightful place in the sky. He sighed and turned back, just as he heard a slam from downstairs. He froze, and Piper bolted upright.

"What was that," she whispered tensely.

Jason shook his head in a silent reply as the two tiptoed down the hall.

He made a quick 'stay here' gesture at Piper, and took care in making sure the stairs didn't creek on the way. He peaked over the side of the rail to see five shadows displayed on the wall. They whispered loudly, stealth all but abandoned.

Jason jumped a mile at the sound of shattering china. Piper snuck down to the stair rail next to him.

One girls voice smacked the person next to her's arm. "Shut it, Seaweed Brain, they could be sleeping."

The boy argued back "Well I didn't drop it on purpose!"

The two voices argued back and forth while Piper and him stifled giggles.

Jason winked at her, and she crept over to the switch on the wall. He nodded.

All the shadows screamed as the lights in the kitchen flickered on and off.

Jason and Piper lost it, doubling over and highfiving each other. Frank looked furious, Hazel was mildly amused, Nico didn't seem to notice anything, and Percy and Annabeth were still arguing over the smashed plate.

It was Piper who finaly took contol. "Guys." she said, shouting over Jason's laughter and Percy and Annabeths arguring. A prompt silence over took the room. Jason took the lack of noice as a que and spoke the question both him and Piper were both wondering.

"So where do we start?

**********

The seven assembled quietly in Jasons's dinning room. Jason sat at the head, while the other six occupied the seats around the sides. The second head remained empty. Everyone was staring at it, knowing that that's where Leo should sit. He snapped himself out of his thoughts and cleared his the throat. "So... We um..," His voice trailed off.

"We have to find him, obviously," Piper said, filling the gap.

Jason squeezed her hand across the mahogany surface, grateful to her for cutting through the silence.

"Yes. That's obvious. But the question is-"

"How are we going to get there?" Frank asked.

"No," Annabeth said.

"What?" The entire table turned to look at her.

"No," she repeated simply, without faltering.

"Okay, well what do we do when we find him?" Nico chimed in.

Again, Annabeth cut him off. "No!" She said with slight annoyance.

"Why did he leave?" Percy tried.

"No! What do you all have, pudding for brains?"

"Actually, you think I have-"

"STOP right there," Annabeth said, ending on a calm note.